BROOKINGS The South Dakota State men will return to Frost Arena on Thursday night as the Jackrabbits take on Kansas City in Brookings at 6 p.m.
SDSU comes into the game having won four of its first five conference games and sits alone atop the Summit League standings. Kansas City enters Thursday with an 8-12 overall record and is 2-3 in the Summit League. The Roos beat Omaha 74-72 in their last games.
Thursdays game will be televised on CBS Sports Network. CBSSN was included in the Summit Leagues new television deal that was signed over the summer. This will be the first time the Jackrabbit men have played a home game on CBSSN and Henderson said his team is excited to play on a national network at Frost Arena.
Its a cool opportunity for our guys, Henderson said. I think [Summit League commissioner] Josh Fenton being able to get our players and student athletes in the Summit League an opportunity to play on national television is a big deal. We have to have great energy because we have two great opponents this week.
Kansas City is a really physical team. Theyre playing really good basketball. Theyre more perimeter oriented than they have been in the past and have the ability to make threes on you. So, well have our hands full, but were excited for the opportunity on a national network.
Kansas City is last in scoring offense in the Summit League as the Roos average just 71.9 points per game. On the flip side the Roos have the third ranked scoring defense in the conference, giving up 71.4 points per game. They are led by junior guard/forward Jamar Brown and graduate senior guard Anderson Kopp. Brown averages 13.8 points per game and Kopp averages 13.1 per game.
SDSU junior guard Zeke Mayo earned his fist Summit League Peak Performer of the Week Award of the season for his performance last week. He scored 21 points in a win over Omaha and then had 20 points, six rebounds and five assists in a victory over South Dakota.
Mayo is averaging a career-high 18.5 points, 3.5 assists and 6.1 rebounds so far this season. Coming into the year Henderson said he wanted Mayo to become a player that could make his teammates better and so far he thinks Mayo has done that.
I think [his role] has always continued to evolve, Henderson said. The thing Im proud of about Zeke is, hes not satisfied. He continues to grow his game and continues to work on his game. I think recently hes been taking care of the ball much better, which is a huge deal for us. Hes always been able to score and get others involved.
Hes just a terrific team player, but he has that ability to get his own shot and is a terrific player with the ball in his hands. So, his development and continued growth and continuing to work at it, its been really cool to see as he continues to mature and grow.
SDSUs recent success in conference play could be tied to the return of Matt Mims. The sixth year senior guard missed the first 13 games of the season with a foot injury and in the seven games since he came back the Jacks are 5-2. Mims is averaging 7.4 points per game and is shooting 45% from three.
Henderson said he thinks Mims continues to look more like himself as he plays more games.
I think hes getting more and more comfortable and its been fun. Last week, I think you were able to see him be able to pick up the ball more in the full court and wreck a little havoc with that, which was awesome to see again. I think every day that goes by Mims gets more comfortable. You always know his ability to spread the floor and catch and shoot was huge, but hes getting more and more comfortable with the ball in his hands and defensively hes feeling more confident. I think things are starting to come together, Henderson said.
SDSU will go back on the road to end the week as the Jackrabbits play at Oral Roberts on Saturday at 7 p.m. The Golden Eagles have been struggling as of late as theyve lost three straight and are 2-4 in conference play. Oral Roberts saw big changes in the offseason as head coach Paul Mills, who led ORU to the NCAA Tournament in two of the past three seasons, left for Wichita State and leading scorer Max Abmas transferred to Texas.
You can watch Saturdays game on the Summit League Network or listen to it on 910 AM KJJQ.
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